Building block lift



-designate like parts in the Patented Sept. 15, 1953 ICE BUILDING BLOCK LIFT David Allen, Mount Vernon, 01110 Application September 22, 1948, Serial No. 50,462

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and struetural refinement in lifts for building blocks, and the principal object of the invention is to facilitate convenient lifting and carrying of building blocks, as well as installation thereofin an appropriate position in the building structure. This object is achieved by the provision of what inay be referred to as a lifting tool, the same being readily engageable with and dsengageable from the building blocks and including a handle which may be easily gripped while the blocks are being lifted or carried.

An important feature of the invention resides in the particular configuration of the tool, more specifically, in the partioular configuration of the block engaging members of the tool, which assure that the blocks are firmly and securely gripped bui; at the same time, which permit the tool to be readily disengaged from the blocks, when so desired.

An important advantage of the invention lies in its simplicity of construction, in its pleasing appearance, and in its adaptability to economieal manufacture.

Another advantage of the inventon resides in its ability to prevent injury to the workers hands, or damage to gloves which he may be wearing while handlng rough-surfaced blocks.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and eonstruction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a embodying the tion;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 22 in Big-- ure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectonal view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 44 in Figure 2.

Like characters of reference are employed to specification and perspective view of a block lift principal features of the inventhroughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a building block lifting tool designated generally by the -referenee character l0, the same preferably shown in Figures 1 and being formed integrallyfrom one pieee of material by casting, or the like, and embodying in its construction an elongated body I2 which tapers frorn one end thereof to the other, the tapered end portion of the body being ormed with a pluralty of transversely extending, -finger receiving grooves Hl and constituting what may be referred to as a handle I6 (see Figure 1).

The remaining end portion of the body 12 is formed integrally with an arcuate block engaging blade I 8 whieh extends in a substantially perpendicular direction from the body, and is best 3. The blade |8 includes a block engaging surface 20 formed with a eentral, longitudinal rib 22 and with longitudinal concavities 24 at the sides of the rib, while the relatively opposite side of the blade is formed integrally with a. longitudinal reinforcing web 26. The longitudinal rib 22 and concavities 24 terminate short of er at the widened bottom edge of the blade I 8 with the bottom edge of the blade |8 being substantially straight as shown in Fgs. 1 and 4.

A coacting block-engaging protuberance 28 is formed integrally on an intermediate portion of the body 12, the configuration of the protuber ance being best illustrated in the accompanying Figure 1, wherein it will be noted that the protuberance is spaced with respect to the blade 18 and that a portion of the body I 2 between the protuberance and the blade forms an arcuate edge 30 which connects the protuberance to the blade, substantially as shown.

It will be noted that the protuberance 28 includes an outer end portion 32 which is set away from the blade I8 so as to provide block receiving sockets of different widths between the protuberance and the blade, the respective widths of the sockets being indicated diagrammatieally at 34. 36 in Figure 3. The invention is, of course, intended for use in association with building blocks provided with open cells sepamted by transverse intermediate and end portions of the blocks, and when the tool is placed in use, it is applied to the blocks so that the protuberance 28 is disposed in one of the end eells while the blade 3 is disposed on the outside of the block, with the handle 16 extending toward the center of the block so that when the block is lifted, the lifting forse is applied centrally and convenient carrying is thereby facilitated. The different widths 34, 36 of the block receiving sockets facilitate, of course, the use of the tool in association with blocks having different wall chicknesses, and it is to be noted that the blade I8,

particularly at the free end porton thereof, is of substantally greater Wdth than the body l2, whereby the blade efectively stablzes the blocks beng carred against p0ssble latera1 swnging movement.

In order to assure lght construction, an intermediate porton of the body l2 may be provded in the sdes thereof wth elongated recesses as ndcated at 38, but to assure sturdness, a. longtud inally extendng reinforcng rb 40 is provided on the body I2, substantally as shown.

Whle in the oregong there has been shown and descrbed the preferred embodment of ths inventon, t; is to be understood tha;t minor changes in the details of constructon and arrangement of parts may be resortedto without departng from the spirit and scope of the 1nventon, as clamed.

Havng descrbed the nventon, what is claimed as new is:

A building bleek lfting tool formed ntegrally r-om one pece ofmateral and comprsing an elongated body taperng from one end thereof to the other, the smaller end po1tion of sad body being formed wth transverse finger-reoevng grooves and consttuting a handle, an arcuate block-engaging b1ade extending in a substanta1ly perpendicular drecton from the larger end porton of sad body, sad blade havng a b1ock-engaging inner surface extending transversely of said body whch is formed wth a centra1 longtudinal rb and wth longtudnal concavtes at the sdes of sad rib, and a coachng block-engaging protuberance extending from an ntermediate porton of said body havng a. cooperatng block engagng surface in spaced opposng relation to sad blade, a porton of sad body between said protuberance and sad blade formng an arcuate edge conrectng sad protuberance to sad blade, and said protberance having the outer end porton of its b1ock engagng surface stepped away from sad b1ade to provide block-recevng sockets of different wdths between sad protuberance and sad blade.

DAVID A. ALLEN.

References Cited in the file of ths patent UNITED STATES PATEN'IS 

